BRAWLEY — The City Council moved to finalize the adoption of a resolution that would make the Brawley Public Safety Employees Association members pay the employee portion of their California Public Employees’ Retirement System, or CalPERS, contribution.
“It’s a very positive moment in our city’s history that I can share with you that there are some changes in the horizon in regards to the pension contribution to our employees that are represented by BPSEA,” City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore said.
The primary changes for BPSEA personnel will feature a 9 percent base pay contribution, including incentives and the uniform allowance of a $1,000 per year, with miscellaneous personnel obtaining a 7 percent contribution base pay including incentive and a similar uniform allowance, explained Moore.
With more than 30 sworn and non-sworn staff members likely to be affected by any change to BPSEA’s pensions, city staff was pleased with the reformed pension program negotiated and agreed upon by city and the BPSEA’s bargaining unit.
The resolution comes as the city begins to prepare for Gov. Jerry Brown’s CalPERS Reform Act, PEPRA to take effect Jan. 1.The coming law will largely affect new employees as it asks them to pay the employee portion of CalPERS similar to existing BPSEA personnel, as well as an additional portion of pension contributions.
Thus, new BPSEA safety personnel will soon have to pay 12 percent of the city’s normal cost of pension contribution, with miscellaneous personal paying 8 percent of the normal cost contribution, Moore said.
“I would like to compliment the BPSEA for coming to the table in earnest and working cooperatively with the city to sustain the city for the long haul and being part of solving some of our most significant challenges of the day,” Moore said.
Staff Writer Celeste Alvarez can be reached at 760-337-3442 or at calvarez@ivpressonline.com
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